Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Environment is catalyst for student/educator communication

I'm fortunate in that I am an assistant professor at Appalachian University. It's a "destination institution" in that we're located the mountains of northwest North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway is only minutes away.

Students love the outdoor lifestyle, so it's a great to marry learning with nature. For example, I'm faculty in residence and this fall, I'll host evening walks for students. We can journey across campus and then traverse up to nature trails adjacent to the wind turbine on top.

There's something special that happens when you share an environmental experience with students. The conversation changes. Heartfelt opinions and concerns are shared. I'd suggest that all of us have an environment to share, it may be urban or possibly cultural. It also allows the educator to become more transparent and accessible.